Category Archives: history

Who Is Sarah Kidder?

31 Monday Oct 2022

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Sarah Kidder was the first woman to head a railroad. She ran the Nevada County Narrow Gauge Railroad.

California Humanities has recently announced the September 2022 Humanities For All Project Grant awards. The Nevada County Historical Society’s Narrow Gauge Railroad Museum has been awarded $5,000 for its project entitled “Who is Sarah Kidder?”.

Humanities For All Project Grant is a competitive grant program of California Humanities which supports locally-developed projects that respond to the needs, interests, and concerns of Californians, provide accessible learning experiences for the public, and promote understanding among our state’s diverse population. 

This historically focused project, “Who Is Sarah Kidder?” organized by Pamela Biery at the Nevada County Historical Society, Nevada City, seeks to foster meaningful reflections on community histories that have shaped this state. “Who is Sarah Kidder?” will consist of a series of 16 programmatic events and three participatory activities as part of a major exhibition at the Nevada County Narrow Gauge Railroad Museum running from March through June 2023, in celebration of National Women’s History Month. “Who is Sarah Kidder?” is an interdisciplinary exhibition that features historical artifacts, the ability to ride a historic narrow gauge railbus, and an educational video produced by the Nevada Union High School broadcast department. 

“We have dedicated a great deal of time to establishing a Sarah Kidder Wing in the Museum and see this as a fitting project to expand the importance of both Kidder’s role and railroads in building the West,” notes John Christensen, Nevada County Narrow Gauge Museum Director. This project seeks to engage youth in history and in general elevate the understanding and appreciation of women’s contribution to California.

“Who Is Sarah Kidder?” invites both museum visitors and participants to learn more about California’s history. In addition to Nevada Union High School Broadcast Instructor Jason Searles, local actor Mary Baird and Nevada County Media’s Ramona Howard are acting as advisors while Sierra College Women’s History Instructor, Megan White will offer an informative talk. 

Pamela Biery notes, “We are honored and grateful to be among the distinguished awardees throughout California. We are very appreciative of research support from Nevada County Historical Society, Searls Historical Library, and the Doris Foley Library.” 

“These projects will bring the complexity and diversity of California to light in new ways that will engage Californians from every part of our state, and will help us all understand each other better,” said Julie Fry, President & CEO of California Humanities. “We congratulate these grantees whose projects will promote understanding and provide insight into a wide range of topics, issues, and experiences.”

California Humanities promotes the humanities – focused on ideas, conversation and learning – as relevant, meaningful ways to understand the human condition and connect us to each other in order to help strengthen California. California Humanities has provided grants and programs across the state since 1975. To learn more visit www.calhum.org, or follow California Humanities on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

See other Fall California Humanities Quick Grant Awardees here: https://calhum.org/98300-awarded-to-humanities-projects-reaching-new-and-underserved-audiences/

A Silver Linings Screenplay

27 Saturday Nov 2021

Posted by in history, Nevada City, Uncategorized, video, writers and writing

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Mary Baird as Ellen Sargent in “An Evening with Ellen”

In December 2019 I began what looked like a fun project of writing a one-woman performance play for the local non-profit, Famous Marching Presidents. By mid-January, the actor Mary Baird and I had compiled a good bit of research with particular help from the Nevada County Searl’s Historical Museum. Then came COVID.

The project, An Evening with Ellen, celebrates and recognizes Nevada County suffragette leader Ellen Clark Sargent to commemorate the 100th anniversary of women’s right to vote, the passage of the 19th Amendment on August 18, 1920.

Rather than abandon our work, we suddenly had more time to dedicate to producing this performance as a video. So, in a way, there was a silver lining to COVID of offering something creative to work on, and also the time to allocate to such an undertaking.

After months of Zoom readings and script refinements, we began outdoor rehearsals in May with host/interviewer local businessman, Rick Ewald.

We were able to secure a historically significant video location with the cooperation of Nevada City’s Oddfellow Lodge. The video crew filmed during August and by September, we had a finished project to share with educators, historians, and the general public.

COVID continued to shape the destiny of this project as both the 2020 and 2021 Constitution Day Parades were canceled—each potential screening dates. Not to be dismayed, we made this video open to an expanded audience through film festivals.

Earles of Newtown, photo by Waking Crow Studio

To date, the 30-minute video An Evening with Ellen has been accepted n three film festivals, serving to inform and entertain a much broader audience than initially envisioned. The festivals which screened An Evening with Ellen are Toronto Women’s Film Festival, International Sound & Music Film Festival, and Hollywood Women-themed Film Festival. Special thanks to the incredible team that made this happen, including John Boyer’s videography and the music lent to us from Earles of Newtown.

Who knows what the next silver lining may be…

See the video on YouTube and read the full project history here.

An Evening with Ellen

08 Tuesday Dec 2020

Posted by in history, Uncategorized, video

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Mary Baird portrays suffrage leader Ellen Clark Sargent in “An Evening with Ellen”

Ellen Clark Sargent was a prominent suffrage leader and resident of Nevada City, where she founded one of the early West Coast Suffrage organizations in 1869. She worked tirelessly to secure women’s voting rights with her entire family for four decades. To commemorate the 100th anniversary of women’s right to vote in 2020, the Famous Marching Presidents produced an original play, “An Evening with Ellen,” highlighting Ellen Clark Sargent and the Nineteenth Amendment.

This original work, written by Pamela Biery, is set in an interview format. Actor Mary Baird portrays Ellen Sargent, while Nevada City businessman, Rick Ewald interviews Ellen, from a present-day perspective. Terry Boyer provides the master of ceremonies role, setting the tone for this lively interaction.

Mary Baird portrays Ellen Sargent, with present day interviewer, Rick Ewald

Nevada City California resident Ellen Clark Sargent was a close friend and ally to Susan B. Anthony. Sargent served as both treasurer and secretary of National Woman Suffrage Association (NWSA); an organization founded by Susan B. Anthony. Ellen Sargent also was president of the California Woman Suffrage Association and founded the Nevada County Women Suffrage Association. She was a key figure in eventually combining East and West Coast efforts into a unified organization, which later became the League of Women Voters.

Adding to the context of this original, historically accurate work, the video was filmed at the Nevada City Odd Fellows Lodge Temple, where Aaron Sargent, who authored the Nineteenth Amendment, was a founding member in 1863.

Donate to making this project and curriculum materials available free to public, including schools here gf.me/u/x8in5b

Request a password protected link to view this video on Vimeo by emailing pamela[at]pamelab.com

EVENING WITH ELLEN COMMUNITY PROJECT TIMELINE

Project Management & Creative Development, Community Outreach and Engagement

January-February: Writing and research, with support from Nevada County Historical Society Research Library.

March: Convert to video production.

April: Arbor Day tree planting in recognition of Ellen Clark Sargent.

May-June: Rehearsals begin. GoFundMe campaign launched.

July: Poster concept and layout.

August: Poster printing and release. Odd Fellows decorate windows on Broad Street. Video production. Famous Marching Presidents Tree Dedication Ceremony.

September: Video complete.

October: Windows on History features Odd Fellows Nineteenth Amendment windows.

December: Video edited for television and film festival format. Inclusion in Women Soaring art exhibit. Plan for educational curriculum development (2021).

Thanks to the Famous Marching Presidents, donors, and the incredible team.